There is concern in the medical community regarding the potential harm a MRI can cause to a patient having one or more implanted medical leads. Conductors extending through an implantable medical lead can act as an antenna when located in a RF field generated by MRI. The energy absorbed by the conductors can cause the electrodes connected to the conductors to heat up, potentially damaging the tissue contacting the electrodes. The damaged tissue can then become ineffective for pacing or sensing purposes.
For patients having implanted medical leads, it would be beneficial to be able to utilize MRI for diagnosis of medical conditions without a risk of lead electrode heating.
There is a need in the art for a MRI compatible implantable medical lead. There is also a need in the art for a method of manufacturing such a lead.